Social Work

Social Work - Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

The Social Work Department provides social work, music therapy and language services to patients and their families at Peter Mac.

Social Workers are members of multidisciplinary teams across all clinical services, providing psychosocial assessment and care planning.

Our Language Services staff arrange interpreting services for our patients to ensure they are able to communicate with Peter Mac staff and receive the information they require in the language of their preference.

Social Work Team

How can social work help? >>
What can we offer? >>
How to contact us? >>
Staff at Peter Mac East Melbourne >>
Staff at Peter Mac Bendigo >>

How can Social Work help?
Being diagnosed with cancer changes your life. Your social and emotional wellbeing and that of your family/carers could be affected. You may experience feelings of isolation, anxiety and fear. These feelings may also affect your family and social relationships. You may feel overwhelmed by the changes in your home/work life that can occur when dealing with cancer. Social Work can assist and support you and your family/carers during this period of change, and during your treatment at Peter Mac.

Social workers are available to patients and their families/carers throughout the duration of their contact with Peter Mac. Social workers receive referrals from patients, family members, nurses, doctors, other health professionals, social workers from other hospitals and community centres. There is a social worker allocated to each clinical service.

What we can offer?
  • Counselling
  • Understanding and adjusting to illness
  • Change in lifestyle and planning for the future
  • Maintaining relationships with family/carers and friends
  • Bereavement
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Discharge Planning
  • Access to support groups
  • Referrals to specialist services and community resources

  • Referral to Legal and Financial services
  • Centrelink Hospital Liaison Officer available onsite weekly
  • Cancer Patients' Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program

  • Accommodation needs
  • Veteran Liaison Officer
  • Family Meetings
  • Visiting social work services to Moorabbin & Box Hill Radiotherapy Satellite Centres
  • Onsite social work service at Bendigo Radiotherapy Centre
How to contact us?
The Social Work Department is located on level 4, East Melbourne.
We operate Monday - Friday, 8.30-5.00.
Phone: 03 9656 1031.

Head of Social Work: Alison Hocking

To see a social worker at either Box Hill or Moorabbin Radiotherapy Satellite Centres, please speak to your treating health professional for a referral.

Staff based at Peter Mac East Melbourne
Social Worker
Clinical Service / Specialty
Elizabeth Ballinger
Professional Development and Innovation
Denise Beovich
Urology, Late Effects, Medicare Ineligible Patients
Hamlata Bhana
Head and Neck & Neuro-oncology
Tegan Murnane
Accommodation
Jennifer Burn
Haematology
Catherine Coppolino
Breast & Paediatrics
Elizabeth Dillon
Upper & Lower Gastrointestinal Cancers
Annette Betheras
Bone & Soft Tissue
Elena Pegoraro
Melanoma & Gynaeoncology
Lucy Pollerd
Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal
Olwyn Backhouse
Skin & Gynaeoncology

Staff based at Peter Mac Bendigo
Peter Mac Bendigo Radiotherapy Centre has an onsite social work service, that offers similar social work services to those at East Melbourne. We operate Monday-Friday, 9.00-5.00. Phone: 03 54549234

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